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Non-violence and peace education, Ahimsa and Shanti-Shiksha in Indian terms, is a subject of the utmost importance and significance today. It is a glowing topic being discussed and analyzed as a priority at all stages of education and at all levels, from local to national and national to international, all over the world. Especially, in these days of continuously increasing process of globalization, this subject is getting more relevant than the past and, therefore, it is the nucleus of workshops, seminars and symposiums being organized by universities and institutions of higher studies, and also on various other international foras. Why? For, definitely, there is a special reason. Before getting familiar with that reason, it is necessary to comprehend the meaning of non-violence, Ahimsa, and the basic spirit at the root of it. It is also inevitable to realize the importance of non-violence in man’s life.

In general, a state just opposite to violence is non-violence. Not to hurt other’s thoughts, words and actions by own thoughts, words and actions or deeds; not to spoil the life simultaneously or to be the cause of it, or not to instigate someone else to take the life is non-violence. However, from the basic spirit in the root of Ahimsa viewpoint, it can be said with certainty that Ahimsa is, in its finest form, the revelation of pure love and active goodwill towards all living beings. It is the symbol of equality of all living beings. Non-violence categorically calls for ‘live and let live’. Along with the basic spirit in its root, Ahimsa  accords the guarantee of existence, its continuity, and safety. There is no substitute for this great call or the message.

As Ahimsa, according to the meaning and the basic spirit in its root, becomes the basis of existence; it appears as the source of co-operation and harmony, the two inevitable and necessary conditions for development; the unsurpassed means of routines, it emerges, therefore, as the highest among the all-great human values. Along with this, non-violence also emerges as the basis of morality and ethics –the two foremost features necessary for the proper conduction and continuity of the order from individual to universal levels. The acid test of morality and ethics is the performance of duties, or the discharging of one’s responsibilities. Hence, non-violence categorically calls for performing one’s duties, and discharging responsibilities through morality and ethics. As a whole, and as I also use to say time and again, non-violence is the essential condition of existence. Ahimsa is a dynamic value and the best means of development and is the way to achieve the goal in life while remaining the nucleus in human practices.

Hence, the significance of Ahimsa in man’s life is self-evident. Those who are wise, they do not unnecessarily question the importance of non-violence in man’s life. The important thing, however, is that Ahimsa is a subject of realization and continuous practice. Thus, non-violence should be the nucleus of day-to-day practices at the individual level first. Making it conducive as per the demand of time and space, man should proceed for co-operation and co-ordination of fellow beings at all levels and in all walks of life to ensure the welfare of one and all. Moreover, on the basis of it, efforts should be made to pave the way for conflict resolution with the sole intention of a win-win situation for all. 

It is more important and necessary in the current perspective than the past. The process of development is going on rapidly. The Earth is swiftly converting into a global village. Therefore, besides local and national levels, stepping forward together at the global level has also become inevitable. The upshot of development, whatever it is, affects more or less each and every one on this planet today. It has, thus, become in one way or the other a common denominator now. In such a situation the importance of coordination and co-operation has multiplied many folds. It is, but natural, or it is the part and parcel of the natural process. Therefore, each and every one has to accept this reality, and she or he has to step forward accordingly.

 In this regard the thing of the utmost importance is that each and everyone should get herself or himself satisfied, more or less, with the outcome of the development achieved through inevitable co-ordination and co-operation. Efforts should be made to ensure that everybody gets her or his due share in gains and, thus, she or he feels happy and blissful. Work must continue for transformation of the state of annoyance, clash, conflict, dispute or struggle that is natural during the ongoing process, into cooperation and unity to pave the way for co-existence, which is in one way or the other the symbolic of the situation surcharged with peace. For, co-operation and co-ordination-based peaceful non-violent methods are the only way available for the purpose and, therefore, realization, development and expansion of activities related to Ahimsa are essential. That is why; in approximately ten thousand universities and institutions of higher learning in the whole world, this subject has in one way or the other emerged predominantly in conferences, discussions, seminars and symposiums. Another noteworthy thing is that during the last one decade the importance of Ahimsa in the process of education has been discussed in more than one thousand universities all over the world, in all the six continents, Africa, Asia, Australia, North America, South America and Europe. Especially, worthy discussions pertaining to making it an essential part of syllabi with a befitting pedagogy have been the nuclei of these seminars and conferences. In them, some of the suggestions made by subject-specialists can be taken as concrete and valuable also. I have myself participated in some of these conferences and seminars.

Along with India, in thousands of universities and colleges all over the world, the Gandhian studies centres, institutes or schools have been established during the last two decades. These centres and institutes provide various facilities for study and research in non-violence and peace in particular. Undoubtedly, the purpose of this is to impart education of Ahimsa. It is for the propagation and expansion of activities based on non-violence to create and develop coordination and co-operation at the global level to ensure continuation of the process of progress in an atmosphere free of tensions, conflicts, disputes and struggles as far as it can be possible.

Undoubtedly, educational institutions or the centres imparting education with a purpose of all-round development of one’s personality can play a vital role in this regard. They can contribute significantly towards this end as per the true meaning of education itself in which the all-round development of personality on the strength of virtues already existing within is expected, and which includes Ahimsa in particular. 

It is a matter of great pleasure and satisfaction that institutions of higher studies are continuously stepping forward in this direction. It is indeed inevitable and also the demand of time. Further, as has been said already, the process of development at all levels, and at global level in particular, is going on swiftly. Therefore, tensions, struggles, disputes and conflicts, as the natural part of this process, are also increasing in different forms. However, to transform all these side effects ultimately into a state of co-ordination and mutual co-operation along with making the development result oriented and welfaristic to a large extent, continuous efforts in this direction are necessary and inevitable. For, endeavours of institutions, universities and colleges in particular are commendable. However, the utmost need is to do something more concretely, systematically and collectively, besides individually.

Taking the sphere of education as the key to play the vital role in this direction; or in other words, considering it to be the most important to impart knowledge pertaining to various aspects related to Ahimsa-centred peace studies, initiative steps must be taken from the lower level of education. From the lower level, definitely prior to higher studies, it must be included in syllabi under a specific and befitting pedagogy. Especially, making Ahimsa-based peace studies courses an essential part of syllabi, it must be applied as a separate subject. Through this, at least elementary knowledge pertaining to non-violence-based peace education should be imparted to each and every student or the learner.

Further, non-violence on the basis of its basic features should be adopted as a science. Daily human practices should be made an acid test of its practical aspect. It should also be taken as an art that could pave the way to worth living –in simple, blissful and beautiful manner for one’s own self and others. This is, definitely, the peaceful manner, the best education of peace according to the real definition and the basic spirit in root of the word Shanti itself, which calls for dynamism and constructive approach to do something concrete in the larger interest of one and all. This is the demand as well as the necessity of time. Therefore, this subject emerges as the foremost in the agenda of educational institutions in current perspective –universities and colleges all over the world in particular. 

 A Padma Shri and Sardar Patel National Awardee Indologist Dr. Ravindra Kumar is a Former Vice Chancellor of CCS University,
Meerut; he is,currently the Ombudsman of Swami Vivekananda Subharati University, Meerut (India).